Lightweight repeating rocket launcher



IAug. 6, 1957l M. E. BoNNETT LIGHTWEIGHT REPEATING ROCKET LAUNCHER Filed July l, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet l dni , INVENTOR. Mii :hell CTE nnne BY MEM@ 049W Aug. 6, 1957 M. E. BONNETT 2,801,572

l LIGHTWEIGHT REPEATING ROCKET LAUNCHER Filed July l, 1953 A 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 nited States Patent Oiiee 2,801,572 LIGHTWEIGHT REPEATING ROCKET LAUNCHER Mitchell E. Bonnett, Havre de Grace, Md., assigner to the -United States of America as represented by -the Secretary of the Army Application July 1, 1953Serial No. 365,567

7 Claims. (Cl. 89-'1.7)

(Granted under Title 35, U. S. Code (1952), sec. 266) The invention described herein may'be manufactured and used by or for the Government for `governmental purposes, without the payment to me of any lroyalty thereon.

This invention relates to improvements in lightweight repeating rocket launchers, and more particularly of the manually loaded magazine type.

It is the principal object of the invention to provide a launcher of the aforesaid type which is light in weight for the caliber .of rocket to vbe launched, simple in construction and rapid and positive in operation.

It is a further object to provide a rocket launcher having a magazine adapted to hold at least one rocket for feeding lby gravity into the firing tube when empty.

A still further object is to provide loading means operable by either the gunner or his assistant, whereby the launcher may be operated by one man or by a crew of two.

Numerous other objects will be obvious to those skilled inthe art after a study of the following description in connection with the drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a slide elevation of a launcher forming the subject of the invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the launcher showing the loading mechanism in closed position;

Figure 3 is a similar view with the mechanism open;

Figure 4 is a partial cross section taken along lines 4 4 on Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a similar view taken along line 5 5 on Figure 3, and, Figure 6 is a cross sectional -view taken along lines 6-6 in Figure 3.

Referring to the drawings, 1 indicates generally a rocket launcher having a tiring tube 2 and an ammunition magazine indicated generally by numeral 3. A pair of vertically extending, axially spaced standards 4 and 5 are supported by the tube 2. These standards are connected at their upper portions by side panels 6 and 7 (Figure 6) which extend downwardly to a `distance sutlicient to leave side openings 8 and 9 for a purpose to be herewith described. There is thus formed a rectangular shaped chamber or magazine 10 which is of suicient capacity to contain at least one rocket of the caliber red by the launcher.

As shown at Figures l and 6 a portion of tube 2 between standards 3 and 4 is cut away to form an upwardlyfacing loading opening 15. From Figure l it will be noted that the ends of this opening lie in axially-spaced parallel vertical planes each adjacent a respective one of the standards and that the side edges a and 15b, Figure 6, extend parallel with the axis of the tube and dene an opening which extends through about 340 about the axis of the tube so that only a strip 15e` is left rigidly connecting the muzzle and breech ends thereof.

The opening 15 is adapted to be closed, prior to launching of a rocket by a pair of substantially identical doors 11 and 12 each in the general form of a portion of a cylinder and each substantially equal in length to the '2 axial Ydimension of opening V1S. These doors :are journa'led on respective hingepins 13 and 14 secured at their ends in bosses or brackets -axed to the .tube 2. Thus, referring to yFigure ,1, hinge A,pin 14 is .fixed at itsrends Vin bosses 14a and 14bsecured by the .tube walls. This pin journals the door 11 .b y means lof Aa .bracket 14e secured thereto, and in a `relation obvious from inspection of Figure 6. Door 12 is hinged on 'pin :13 in a similar :manner by bracket 13e.

By `this ,construction when the doors are pivoted -to the dotted `line Apositions shown `upon Figure 6, they completely .close the loading opening 15 and form with the tube proper, -a smooth-bore, .continuous-walled launching tube. From Figure 6 it is noted .that the doors are rabbeted along their meeting edges as .indicated 'at 13 to form .a substantially gas-tight Ajoint when closed. -Rabbets or `other sealing .means .not shown may likewise Vbe used lalong .the .circularlyextending mating kedges Vof "the doors and opening.

Suitably spaced dogs 33 -(Figure l6') pivotally mounted in .opening in the side lpanel '7 are -urged inwardly by springs 3.4 .to .bear .against a rocket 'R Vto prevent its Vaccidental upward movement.

The tube 2 may `be vprovided yat its lower surface with apair of Aapertured ears 36 (Figure l) to facilitate attachment of .the launcher .to a tripod, not shown. The launcher tube yis lprovided with vthe usual grip 37 which incorporates a trigger 37a which, when pulled, operates miniature voltage generating means, not shown, `in ycircuit with .thecontacts 16 and17 which circuit `is completed through Ythe -ringsquib of the rocket when the latter lis properly loaded with its contact band in engagement with contact :16. As this 'tiring system lis well known and forms no part vof the present invention, it is not yshown in detail.

As well shown in `Figure 6, doors 11 and 12 are provided with planar 'extensions 19 and 18 respectively, which extend generally tangential'l-y to their`cylindrical surfaces upwardly from a line adjacent and parallel to their pivot axes. The upper edge lof each extension is connected with the adjacent edge of its door by supporting ,surfaces 2=1 and 20, respectively, which are formed as portions `of cylinders coaxial of the hinge axes of the respective doors. By this construction 4the two surfaces 20 and 21, when the door-s are in closed position, conjointly form a support for the lowermost Vrocket in magazine l0.

During initial opening of the doors, as surfaces 20 and 21 separate, the rocket is held in elevated position by reason of the coaxial feature of these surfaces. However, asthe edges of the Adoors come in contact with the rocket, the latter is lowered at a gradually increasing rate. In the meantime, `the lower portion of door 12 that is, the por-tion below hinge axis 13, is rising to its iinal open position shown in solid lines upon Figure 6, to form a cradle which is only a short distance vertically below the rocket when the latter is released from contact and support bythe upper edges of the doors as they move into fully open position. Consequently, by the construction described the rocket is lowered smoothly and positively into Vfiring posi-tion within this launcher when the doors are fully closed to form a launching tube open only at vits ends. Firing contact 16 is carried by one end of a spring 16a whose other end is ailxed to the door 11. The contact vis yieldin-gly urged inwardly by the spring through an aperture 11b in the tube wall to make positive contact with a rocket loaded into the tube. The second or hot contact 17 mounted on, but insulated in any suitable way from the tube portion 15e engages the insulated ring band of the rocket when the latter is loaded whereby a theart.

`Patented Aug. 6, 1957 f The loading doors are opened and closed yby a systemy of linkage positioned forwardly' and rearwardly of they magazine element. Y The forward linkage is generally indicated bynurneral 22y (Figures 2, 3'and' 4) and comprises stood that in the closedvposition'shown upon Figure 2,

the handle 23 is swingable a little past dead center, so`

ythat the doors are self-locking,'that is, so that the blast pressure of the rockets upon 'the doors cannot force them f open. Suitable stop means not shown may be provided f for limiting the rotation'handle 23 in the direction of the arrow upon Figure'Z from a position slightly counterclockwise from the one shown. Operation of the launcher is as follows: Assuming that the doors are in closed position, the firing tube will now be. a continuous smooth bore due to the doors 11 and 12 closing the aperture 15 and form-- king a part of the tube. A rocket may be inserted into the breech .end of the tube and pushed forward until it is held by the indexing detent 16 .at which time 'its insulated tiring band will be in contact with the contact pin 17. A second rocket R may be placed in the magazine type or may otherwise be formed to permit the necessary yslight pivoted movement in the vertical lplanes through the links as the ydoors pivot between limiting positions.

The rear linkage, indicated generally at 32, is of similar constructionk with they front linkage just described except that handle 23 is omitted and a coil spring 43 added which is tensioned to urge link 40 to the fully closed positiomthatfis, clockwise as viewed on Figure 3. Consequently it is suicient toridentify arms 38 and 39 and C-shaped links 41 and 42 connecting the same with the respective endsfof bar 24. Arms and .39 are 1n axial alignment as are arms 31 and 38. n

Having now fully disclosed the invention, I claim:

l. A rocketflauncher comprising a launcher tube having an upwardly-facing opening in its breech portion, magazine means tixed with said tube over said opening to receive and guide a rocket for downward loading into said tube through said opening, a pair of doors, means hinging each door on said tube at a respectiveside of said opening for pivotal movement about respective -axes parallel with the axisvof said tube from a lirst position closing said opening for firing a rocket from said tube,

toa second position indexing a rocket from Said magazine into said tube, each said door having a .portion of when said doors are in iirst position, the hinge axis of chamber 10., Itwill ride past dogs 33 and come to rest upon the arcuate portions 2li andZlof'the doors l1y and 12. Thespring-biased dogs willhold kthe rocket rmly vagainst sudden jolts which would otherwise cause upwardl motion thereof. After the rocket in the tube has red,

the second rocket R may be loaded into the firingcharny ber by they gunner or the assistant gunner yby turning the handle 23 thru an arc of 180 clockwise as seen inFigure 2. open simultaneously and-the rocket R will fallinto the tiring chamber and into position for firing. Turning the handle to the left lthrough an arc of 180 will close the doors, so thaty thev magazine may again be loaded and the rocket within the tube tired.

While the drawings illustrate space for one extra rocket only it is contemplated that it may be increased in height to accommodate several.

I have therefore provided a rocket launcher, relatively simple to operate, of lightweight and yet positive of action. The rate of tire is limited only by the rate at which rockets can be loaded into the magazine and the operating linkage actuated.

While the launcher as shown in the drawings is for manual operation, it may be operated by other means, not shown. It is also contemplated as a safety feature, that a switch contact on handle 23 may cooperate with a second contact carried by the launcher; to close the tiring circuit to the loaded rocket only when handle 23 is in the fully closed position generally indicated at L, Figure 2, whereby the doors must be fully closed and locked before a rocket can be tired.

A C-shaped link 28 has one end pivoted to one contiguous end of bar 24 while its opposite end is pivoted to the forward end of an arm 31 fixed to door 11 adjacent the area where surfaces 18 and 2t) meet. Likewise a C-shaped link 29 is pivotally connected at one end with the other end of bar 24, while the remaining end of the link 29 is pivoted to an arm 30, corresponding to arm 31 and extending forward from door 12 in comparable position, From Figure 3 it is seen that links 28 and 29 face in opposite directions, and from Figure 5 that they are pivoted, one above bar 24 and the other below: Hence they do not interfere and operation of handle 23 between the limiting positions shown upon Figures 2 and 3 pivots the doors between the open and closed positions shown in solid and dotted lines, respectively, upon Figure 6. It will be understood that the pivot joints between links 28 and 29 and the arms 30, 3l may be of the ball and socket Through the action of the linkage, the doors will each door lying between the longitudinal side edges thereof, each saiddoor having a portion of a cylindrical surface coaxial of said tube in closed position and pivotal about their respective axes to support an incoming rocket in said second position. f

2. In ay light-weight portable rocket launcher, a'launcliery tube having an upwardly-facing opening in its breech portion, a magazineiixed with said tube over said opening for receiving and guiding a rocket in gravity movement through said opening into said tube, rst and second doors, hinge means lpivoting said doors on said tube on respective axes atfopposite sides thereof parallel with the tube axis to aliord movement from a tiringy position wherein said doors conjointly close said opening, to an open position indexing a rocket into said tube, the hinge axis of each door lying between the side edges thereof whereby the lower portions thereof rise in response to pivotal movement of the doors to operi position, each said door having a portion of a cylindrical surface coaxial of its hinge axis and conjointly supporting a rocket in said magazine when said doors are in firing position, whereby a rocket in said magazine is supported against downward movement until released by outward movement of said cylindrical surfaces when said doors have moved to open position whereby a rocket is indexed onto the raised lower ends of said doors.

3. ln a rocket launcher, a launcher tube having an upwardly-facing loading opening, magazine means xed with said tube in superposed position over said opening to guide a rocket downwardly through said opening into said tube, first and second doors hinged to respective sides of said tube for pivotal movement about axes parallel with said tube from a tiring position wherein said doors conjointly close said opening, to a loading position eti'ecting loading of a rocket into said tube, the hinge axes of each door lying between the side edges thereof whereby the portions of each door below its axis rises as the same moves to loading position, each said door having a portion of a cylindrical surface coaxial of its hinge axis and extending outwardly from its upper edge, said cylindrical portions conjointly acting to support a rocket in said magazine until the portions of the doors below their hinge axes have risen in loading movement, and means carried by said tube to effect synchronous movement of said doors between tiring and loading positions.

4. A rocket launcher comprising a launcher tube having an upwardly-facing opening in its breech end, said opening having an angular extent about the axis of said tube of about 340, a magazine fixed with said tube in position superposed over said opening and adapted to receive at least one rocket for guided movement through said opening into said tube, first and second doors, means hinging each door to said tube at respective sides thereof for pivotal movement about axes substantially in the horizontal plane through the axis of said tube, for pivotal movement from a firing position wherein said doors conjointly close said opening, to a loading position wherein said doors effect movement of a rocket from said magazine through said opening into said tube, the hinge axis of each door lying between the side edges of the respective doors whereby the portions thereof below their pivot axes rise in response to pivotal movement to loading position, said first door having an angular extent below its axis greater than the corresponding extent of said second door, whereby to form a cradle portion receiving a rocket from said magazine, there being radially extending aperture therethrough, the upper edge of each said door having a portion of a cylindrical surface coaxial of its hinge axis and extending outwardly approximately 30, said surfaces conjointly supporting a rocket in said magazine until said cradle has risen within said tube.

5. A rocket launcher as in claim 4, a firing control carried by said cradle portion, said firing control comprising a movable contact, and spring means urging said contact radially inwardly through said aperture in said cradle portion.

6. In a rocket launcher, a launcher tube having an upwardly-facing loading opening, magazine means fixed with said tube in superposed position over said opening, first and second doors hinged to said tube at respective sides of said opening for pivotal movement about respective axes parallel with the longitudinal axis of said tube from a firing position wherein said doors conjointly close p said opening to a loading position wherein said doors index a rocket from said magazine means through said opening into said tube, each said door having a surface in the form of a portion of a cylinder coaxial of its hinge axis for supporting a rocket against substantial downward movement in said magazine until said doors have moved out of firing position, the hinge axis of each door lying between its longitudinal edges whereby the lower portion of each door rises within said tube as the doors move toward loading position, and a single manually controlled means for simultaneously pivoting said doors between loading and firing positions and locking the same in firing position.

7. In a rocket launcher, `a launcher tube having an upwardly-facing loading opening, magazine means fixed with said tube in superposed position over said opening, first and second doors hinged to said tube at respective sides of said opening for pivotal movement about respective axes parallel with the longitudinal axis of said tube from a firing position wherein said doors conjointly close said opening to a loading position wherein said doors index a rocket from said magazine means through said opening into said tube, each said door having a surface in the form of a portion of a cylinder coaxial of its hinge axis for supporting a rocket against substantial downward movement in said magazine until said doors have moved out of firing position, said first door having an angular extent'below its axis greater than the corresponding extent of the second door, whereby the lower portion of said first door when in loading position acts as a cradle to receive a rocket from said magazine when released from said surface, and a single manuallycontrolled means for simultaneously pivoting said doors between loading and firing positions and locking the same in firing positions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,312,048 kRedpath Aug. 5, 1919 2,440,634 Henney Apr. 27, 1948 2,451,522 Uhl et al. Oct. 19, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS 398,081 Great Britain Sept. 7, 1933 636,422 Great Britain Apr. 2 6, 1950 663,651 Great Britain Dec. 27, 1951 

